Jack Henry Abbott was born on January 21, 1944, at Camp Skeel in Oscoda, Michigan. His father was an Irish-American soldier, and his mother was a Chinese-American prostitute. Abbott's early life was unstable. He stated in his book, In the Belly of the Beast, that he spent time in foster care from the day he was born until he turned nine. After nine, he began spending long periods in juvenile detention.

As a child, Abbott often got into trouble at school and with the law. By the age of 16, he was sent to the Utah State Industrial School, a long-term reform institution. Abbott later claimed that the mistreatment he endured from the guards at the school made it hard for him to adjust to life outside of prison.

His experiences shaped his views on society and the correctional system. Abbott described himself as a "state-raised convict," spending much of his youth in confinement, often in solitary. He felt that the prison system did not treat him or other inmates as human beings. 

In 1981, Jack Henry Abbott was released from prison after serving time for forgery, manslaughter, and robbery. Just six weeks after his release, Abbott went to a cafe in Manhattan called the Binibon. He was with two women when he interacted with Richard Adan, a waiter at the cafe. Abbott asked Adan for directions to the bathroom. Adan explained that customers could not use it, as it was only for employees. After a brief argument, Adan led Abbott outside to urinate, but Abbott then stabbed Adan to death.

Following the stabbing, Abbott fled to Louisiana. He was soon recognized by a business owner and was arrested while working in an oilfield. Abbott was charged with murder, but during his trial in January 1982, he was convicted of manslaughter instead. He was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. While in prison awaiting his trial, Abbott's earlier book, "In the Belly of the Beast," received attention, and his victim's widow sued him for $7.5 million in damages.

In the years that followed, Abbott's second book, "My Return," did not gain the same popularity as his first. In 2001, he appeared before the parole board but was denied release due to his criminal history and lack of remorse for his actions. On February 10, 2002, Abbott died by suicide in his prison cell, using bedsheets and shoelaces to hang himself. He left a note, but its contents have never been made public.